You and Me
by WordsinRain
Summary: AU Highschool. AU Highschool. Merlin is often picked on despite tutoring THE Arthur Pendragon but then Alvar takes it too far and Arthur has to choose what is more important: Merlin or his status.


**I got the idea for this while watching 'Criminal Minds' episode 'Elephant's memory.' There is a bit when Spencer tells Derek about something that happened in his past. I remembered watching it for the first time absolutely enraged nobody would do anything to help [yes I know it's not real]. But it really made me want to write a high school fanfiction in which that event took place but I could tweak it the way I wanted. Merlin and Arthur have become my victims for this.**

**Many thanks to DemonSloth for being my most amazing BETA and summary writer.**

**Disclaimer: I do not own BBC Merlin I also do not own Criminal Minds. Much to my disappointment.**

**Warning Slash! Yaoi! Homosexuality! Gay! Man loving Man! If you do not like it do not read!**

**Enjoy. X**

* * *

It was a boring day. Even with the added tormenting of a snivelling Will. The boy had annoyed Arthur from the moment they had met in year seven, but other than a couple of insults here and there Arthur had mostly left the boy alone. At the end of year eleven he had dared to ask Morgana out. Maybe Morgana shouldn't have laughed in his face, but that didn't excuse him setting fire to her hair in chemistry. She might be a huge thorn in Arthur's side, but nobody hurt his adoptive sister and got away with it. So as a result whenever Arthur was bored and his day needed a little lightening he located good old Will, and engineered something that would keep both him and his mates entertained, while also punishing Will for even thinking he could touch Morgana.

Arthur lay on a bench in the cold September sun. He propped himself on his left elbow as he threw a dart. It landed bullseye on the dartboard Will just so happened to be holding. Kay had told Will he had had a bad day and needed to take it out on someone. It was either going to be throwing darts at a dart board Will was holding or it was going to be his fists on Will's face. He chose wisely. Arthur just smiled, Will deserved everything he got.

'Nice shot,' Gwaine commented from his place on the seat of the bench.

'Too easy,' Arthur replied. 'I want more of a challenge. Run Will.' The boy looked up from behind the dart board his expression confused. 'Do you not understand? I want you to run.' Arthur indicated the motion of running back and forth with his fingers. 'Now.' He started running but found it difficult to keep his head covered and see where he was running to. That didn't bother Arthur, he knew he would never hit the boy's head, no matter how much he wanted to. Arthur was just that good. He missed a couple of bulls-eyes though and that made him happier than if he had hit every time. It gave him something to concentrate on.

It made him laugh to see Will so flustered, he genuinely thought there was a possibility Arthur might hit him with the dart and that was deliciously amusing. Evidently Will got so scared he threw the dart board away and curled into a ball, this didn't seem like a very bright idea to Arthur, if you were frightened by the idea of someone hitting you with a dart why would you get rid of your only shield?

'Right you've had your fun, give it a rest now.' Arthur looked to find the owner of the voice and saw a scrawny boy with a dark mop for hair and rather large ears frowning at him. He was in sixth form, that was evident enough from his lack of uniform, but Arthur didn't recognise him which meant he was new. Arthur could explain the situation to the newcomer but decided against it, he was too irritated by the interruption.

'Excuse me but is this any of your business?' Arthur stated sitting up. He noticed the boy had big eyes as well, the boy was by no means attractive, but there was something about him that peeked Arthur's interest. It was probably just a reaction to someone actually questioning him for once. He did get away with a lot. Too bad for the new boy he liked it that way.

'Well you were being a prat,' the boy answered. Arthur was actually struck dumb for a moment. Someone had dared to call him a prat. He had never been called a prat. What the hell was with this boy? There was also the added fact that he hadn't frowned at all when saying it, his large eyes had stayed large rather than glaring, so there was no malevolent intent just a slight mocking tone indicating he believed he was speaking a statement of utter truth.

'Do you know who I am?' Arthur rarely used his father to get what he wanted, he didn't need to. Everyone around him knew who his father was and therefore were terrified of upsetting Arthur. They automatically gave him what he wanted and he didn't need to threaten or bribe at all.

'Should I?'

'My father is the headmaster of this school,' Arthur replied slowly pushing himself of the bench. His friends around him snickered but the realisation didn't have the desired effect any of them wanted. The boy merely shrugged.

'You're still a prat.' This boy was working his way under Arthur's skin. What was worse was Will had taken advantage of the situation and had vanished which meant the rest of the days entertainment had left. This boy needed a lesson in who it was best to leave alone.

'You know I could get you put in detention till the end of the year for that?' Arthur stated and cursed himself for resorting to using his father as a way of punishment, but this boy irked him.

'Use your father to fight all your battles do you? Or do you just get your lackeys to do that?' Not only did that irritate Arthur further but it also had all his friends wanting to hurt the boy. Problem was if he didn't do anything about it now, they would later and they wouldn't be as forgiving. His friends weren't bullies, unlike some in the year, but they had a code they stuck by and one of the most important parts was defending each other. They would do anything for each other, including making someone severely regret trying to pick a fight with them.

'No I don't need him to fight my battles for me. But I thought you would prefer that to being smacked around the head.'

'If you can,' the boy quipped. That was the last straw for Arthur, he threw a hook punch, there was no power behind it and his palm was open. The boy dodged it easily and so Arthur tried again but the boy's scrawny and breakable physique meant he was very fast and so Arthur kept missing. Some of the anger was actually leaving Arthur, he enjoyed a challenge and he was getting into the thrill of the fight. He decided to go at it properly and he slipped into a comfortable stance. He knew the whole school was watching but he didn't care. He was worried the boy would just be content with dodging, and Arthur would soon lose all the thrill he had gained by fighting someone not that easy to take down.

Arthur went in close for the one-two punch. The boy dodged the first and blocked the second, he went to strike Arthur. Arthur caught the arm and twisted it round behind Merlin in a lock. The boy managed to elbow Arthur and tried to wriggle free. After wincing Arthur regained his structure and pulled him into a different lock and used his hair to pull him to the ground. Merlin however grabbed Arthur's t-shirt and dragged him to the ground also. It then broke out into a grappling match on the floor. Arthur won that easily sitting on top of Merlin and began to repeatedly flick him in the head. Everyone laughed.

'What's going on here?' Arthur looked up to the oncoming teacher and quickly jumped off.

'Well Miss -,' Arthur started but she dismissed him with a wave of her hand.

'Was Merlin giving you trouble?' So that's what his name was. 'Detention, Merlin.' Merlin looked shocked, Arthur didn't know why, he had said his father was the headmaster, no teacher in their right mind would give him detention. It was good fun though and for that Arthur disliked him less. He still wasn't going to defend him; he shouldn't have called Arthur a prat. Smiling to himself he went back to lying on the bench a little less bored.

* * *

'Merlin, you can tutor Arthur in Chemistry and Physics,' Uther announced, very smug with his suggestion. Both Arthur and Merlin just stared at him. They had been arguing in the car park after school when some moron with a motorbike had been racing out of the school ground and nearly crashed straight into Arthur. Arthur hadn't been able to see the bike coming so Merlin had pushed him out of the way. It was very heroic if he did say so himself, even if it was the world's biggest ass that he had saved. As his prize for saving the life of the son of the headmaster he got to tutor him. How that was even close to a reward he did not know.

'No way,' Arthur complained and for once Merlin had to agree with him.

'This will be perfect. You need A's in these subjects not the B's you've been getting. Tutoring will look great on Merlin's UCAS, it is a win-win scenario. It will happen.' Oh so that was where the reward was. It was obvious from the way Mr. Pendragon spoke that his son had no chance of objecting him. For a brief moment he saw the consequences of Arthur's perfect life but then he reminded himself of the prat he was and the thought dissipated.

Merlin sighed, this would look good and denying the headmaster wasn't something he wished to do, it could only end badly if he got on his wrong side. As the headmaster left the room Merlin turned to Arthur.

'So what other subject do you take?'

'Maths,' Arthur replied.

'Oh. That's quite a tough mix isn't it,' Merlin said. He didn't want the time he spent tutoring Arthur to be as painful as every other interaction they had had, but Arthur clearly wasn't up to forming intelligent conversation as he just raised an eyebrow at Merlin. 'Whatever, do you want to just work in your frees or would you rather I came to your house?'

'You can come to my house,' Arthur replied so quickly Merlin nearly had whiplash. Then Merlin saw the slight panic in Arthur's eyes, he didn't want his posse knowing he was being tutored, especially by Merlin. He wanted to argue, he wanted to fight, but instead he felt something heavy form in his stomach. He nodded to Arthur and got up to leave.

Over the next two months Merlin began to realise a few things. One: Arthur wasn't nearly as bad as he had initially seemed and he was actually beginning to form respect for the guy. Two: Merlin was close to Will on the social ladder. It was odd, Will was lower than him but because Arthur had deemed Will his intended target everyone else left him alone. So the rest decided Merlin would be theirs. He guessed it was a mix of having the highest grades in the year followed by not knowing people. His only friend was Gwen who, oddly enough, was also friends with Arthur. Merlin wasn't sure whether to call Arthur a friend or not. The two had a witty sort of easiness, they insulted each other hourly but it was actually nice and Merlin almost looked forward to it. Either way it wasn't really acknowledged in school, he reckoned Arthur's friends knew he was getting tutored by him, but since Arthur chose not to mention it they followed him.

Merlin wondered what it was like to have friends like that. When Arthur first wanted to keep the tutoring secret he thought it was because he had such fair weather friends that would dump him for associating with someone so socially deprived. But it wasn't, Arthur's friends would stay with him no matter what. It was the rest of the school he cared about. He had a position of power that he enjoyed very much and not only did Merlin's low status threaten that but so did being tutored, it was a weakness. It was one of the reasons why Arthur didn't interfere when others mocked Merlin.

It was peculiar that Merlin didn't mind Arthur's taunts; he gave as good as he got and it was refreshing. But there was never anything mean in Arthur's manner, not like the other's. It didn't hurt him, their comments were often nonsensical anyway, but it was slowly chipping away at him.

Merlin asked Arthur about Will, Arthur wasn't a bully, so why did he bully Will? When he heard about what had happened with Morgana, Merlin understood. He wasn't exactly convinced Arthur was in the right, after all Will had only done one thing, Arthur perpetually tormented the boy. Arthur believed it showed a warning to anyone else daring to go after his sister. Morgana was Gwen's best friend and so Merlin had spoken to her a few times. She, however, was very popular and didn't like being seen with Merlin for any longer than one minute, so she certainly wasn't a friend.

Merlin had taken to hiding in the library at lunch times and frees, it served to keep him equally free of insults and warm. Sometimes he studied, but mainly he just made his way through the different novels that were there. It was on a November day when Merlin was reading a particularly interesting book on magicians when Morgause, another one of Morgana's entourage appeared. She was a pretty girl, lovely golden hair and eyes that sparkled, she walked over to Merlin. She had never spoken to Merlin before and he immediately felt uneasy.

'Nimueh wants to see you out on the football field,' she said in a voice so sweet he could have poured it over pancakes. Contrary to Arthur's belief Merlin was not that stupid and he knew something wasn't right.

'Why?' he asked.

'She wants you to tutor her, but her boyfriend's got a match later so she isn't leaving the field to show her support.' It made sense, the early wannabe wags hovered close to the football pitch to honour their boyfriends or to get one. Arthur was on the team. Merlin was surprised he didn't have one of them for himself, he was also glad, but he decided not to reflect on why he felt that way. 'Arthur recommended you.' That shocked Merlin. Was Arthur finally finished with being ashamed of him? The thought that he was actually being accepted squashed any further doubt and he got up and followed Morgause to the football field.

As they walked across the pitch toward the goal posts he noticed that most of the football team were there, but Arthur wasn't. He was about to turn back when he felt a firm hand grab onto his shoulder.

'Where you going?' It was a deep voice, and Merlin knew it belonged to Alvar, a guy almost on par with Arthur for popularity. He looked toward the group and saw Nimueh smirking next to Morgause. This could not end well.

'I forgot my phone in the library,' Merlin lied. He needed to get out of this situation quickly.

'No need to rush, it will still be there when you get back,' Alvar stated. Merlin's eyes searched everywhere for Arthur but there was no sign. Which meant either they deliberately hadn't included him in this, or he did know and was just letting it happen. Before Merlin could think of another way to escape there was a thick arm around his neck. It pulled him so tightly he couldn't breathe. Merlin struggled, trying to get free, but Alvar was too big. When Merlin thought the plan might actually be to kill him, Alvar let go. Merlin fell to his knees and black dots danced across his vision. He coughed and spluttered. He didn't have a chance to recover before Alvar grabbed the back of his t-shirt and pulled him along the ground. He could hear the laughter echo around him.

'His clothes are all muddy now,' Nimueh mentioned. There was an implication in that sentence Merlin didn't miss and he scrambled to his feet determined to just run and hope he was faster. But Alvar hadn't let go of his shirt so Merlin just struggled pointlessly like a dog on a leash. The laughter continued. Merlin stopped exhausted, Alvar let go of his shirt and grabbed his shoulders instead. If he hadn't pulled so pointlessly before he might have had the strength to get out of Alvar's grip. He dropped down and grabbed Merlin at the hips, another guy he recognised as Mordred, came up and grabbed his shirt. Merlin struggled against the attack, he moved any way and every way he could to struggle free from Mordred pulling his shirt. Apparently that wasn't appreciated and something hard struck him in the balls. The pain shot up through his stomach and he doubled over. He fought the urge to vomit, not wanting to give them anything else to laugh at.

The air bit fiercely at his chest, and the first guy had his arm securing him around the shoulders. He drew Merlin so tight into him that he could feel Alvar's laughter more than he could hear it. He kept on trying to think of something to say that might result in him being freed but knew it was impossible. He was already topless and Mordred was grabbing at his pants. Merlin started struggling again and this time got a punch in the gut. The laughter increased.

His pants were pulled off him. He heard Nimueh and the other girls make a noise of disgust and he felt himself blush. God he hated them but he couldn't help feeling ashamed. He forced himself not to cry, he would not give them the satisfaction.

To his horror Mordred reached for his boxers. Everything inside him cried out and he started thrashing as hard as he could. He managed to kick Mordred a few times and he bit Alvar behind him so hard he drew blood. That's when the rain of fists descended on him. Maybe, if he hadn't fought so much they wouldn't have physically hurt him, but he couldn't be sure of that and he just wasn't able to let them do what they wanted. He had to at least try to get free.

He curled tightly into a ball on the floor and he felt each punch connect, but he didn't dare move. The minute he uncurled they would finish what they had started. They pulled at his legs and his arms and he fought but there was too many of them and he found himself in a spread eagle position. _Do not cry, do not cry, do not cry, do not cry, do not cry, do not cry._ He had never felt more exposed before and the laughter hadn't stopped. Even Alvar whose arm was bleeding was laughing. Nimueh looked over him, her ebony hair twirling in the wind.

'This is probably the only time a girl will ever do something like this to you,' she spoke. Her voice wasn't quite as sweet as Morgause but there was an angel like quality that felt like a cheese grater over his skin. She grabbed the rim of his boxers and she started to pull. The air was freezing but the mix of struggling and embarrassment made Merlin feel like it was the middle of August – and thankfully so did other parts of him. If the cold had taken too much effect he wasn't so sure he could live with the shame and laughter. As she pulled the boxers down his legs her manicured nails scraped his skin. The laughter had morphed into shrill hysterics. As she reached his ankles the guys holding them dropped him and his arms were pulled so his boxers were left on the floor as he was dragged. He didn't struggle then, not even when Morgause cut his clothes to shreds. Everything hurt and he was so completely exposed, he felt raw and open.

When he was hauled to his feet he felt something icy along his back and he looked to see they were holding him against the goal post. Mordred was holding rope and Merlin just sighed as he tied it around him. He looked to the crowd and saw the numbers had grown. Some stared with shock, some stone faced but no one moved to help and the majority were laughing. He noticed a familiar shade of blond pass through the crowd and then Arthur was staring at him and he was staring back. Some of the guys yelled more jeers but he didn't hear anything he just saw Arthur not moving. He had managed to get this far without tears but he felt all his walls being torn away, he looked down at the ground in the hope no one would see.

'What the hell do you think you are doing?' the sound pounded in Merlin's ears. Something dark fell over his vision but he kept looking at the ground, he had tears in his eyes.

'Come on Arthur it's just a bit of fun,' Mordred laughed. Merlin looked up at the mention of Arthur's name and found he was staring at his back.

'You're disgusting if you find this entertaining,' Arthur replied. Merlin had honestly thought Arthur wasn't going to do anything, his status in the school more important.

'What about Will?' Nimueh asked icicles hanging on the question.

'I have never done anything like this to Will.'

'Thought you were more fun than this Arthur.'

'Clear off or my father will hear of this and I will make sure the 'expelled for bullying' policy sticks to every single one of you.' Merlin had never heard Arthur so angry before, and he had no doubt he would make good on the threat, neither did anyone else and the crowd parted. Merlin looked over Arthur's shoulder to see only Nimueh , Morgause, Alvar and Mordred left.

'You're going to regret threatening me Arthur Pendragon,' Nimueh replied. She looked at Alvar and Mordred and for a moment Merlin reckoned she was going to make them fight. Arthur had moved into a fighting stance so it seemed he thought so too. But she shook her head and walked away.

Arthur kept facing them until they had cleared off the pitch. He immediately turned around and started undoing the knots the football team had made. To Arthur's credit he didn't once look at Merlin or laugh. Part of him dreaded he would. He was waiting for Arthur to start mocking him 'cause he was scrawny or say something arrogant like he was by far 'bigger' but he didn't. He just worked at undoing all of the knots. As he finished Merlin fell to his knees too exhausted to be able to stand up. He felt something soft cover him and he looked to see Arthur's coat. Arthur still didn't say anything. He held Merlin's shoulders and tried to get him on his feet. He was gentle. But then again an elephant would be gentle compared to the rest of the football guys. Arthur's coat reached mid thigh and was wool and cashmere, Merlin had called him a metrosexual twat for wearing something so expensive to school, but he had to admit it suited him beautifully. Now Arthur was covering the muddy and bloodied Merlin with it. Arthur somehow managed to hold Merlin up with one arm and do the buttons up with the other. Merlin didn't put his arms in the sleeves; he kept them wrapped round himself inside the coat. He reckoned he looked like a hooker, but he couldn't speak or move much on his own and Arthur didn't ask him to.

Merlin took the bus to school and he felt sick with the thought of having to go home on it, especially since he would have to give Arthur's coat back. He could feel that he was shaking against Arthur and he knew it wasn't from the cold but he hoped Arthur thought it was. As they neared the entrance he realised Arthur was dragging Merlin to the car park. Merlin wanted to stop and tell Arthur it was the wrong way but he just couldn't control himself. They reached Arthur's car, a black Golf GTI, Arthur must have unlocked it when they were walking as he opened the passenger door and pushed Merlin inside. He couldn't protest as much as he wanted to, he was still covered in mud and now he was sitting in Arthur's expensive car in his expensive coat. Guilt over flowed his other senses, he ignored everything else but that. Arthur got into the driver's side and turned to look at Merlin. There was something warm in those blue eyes and Merlin just wanted to stare into them until he suffocated.

'I'm going to take you back to mine to clean up, ok?' They both knew his father wouldn't be in for a few hours. It was the first thing he had said and Merlin was somewhere between relieved and annoyed. Arthur didn't say anything more; he just turned up the heater to full and drove. The music was some rock band Merlin didn't know and the words just washed over him. They pulled up to Arthur's rather big detached house. He was used to being there but this time it felt bigger than usual. He tried to move to open the door and got about half way but Arthur was already there and helping him out. He hated himself for appearing this weak to Arthur, after all their taunts and jokes he didn't expect Arthur to be the one that was right.

Arthur sat Merlin down on the bed and left the room. Merlin was now conscious his muddy being was on Arthur's bed, he sighed with the knowledge he had no way to pay Arthur back for all the damage he had done. Arthur reappeared in the doorway.

'I've started a bath for you, it'll be easier on your muscles and you can borrow some of my clothes after.' Arthur sat beside him on the bed and Merlin almost wanted to cry again. Arthur mumbled something to himself and he only caught the word 'stupid'.

'Yeah I know I'm stupid,' Merlin croaked. 'Should've guessed what Morgause was up to. But she said you had-'

'You're not stup–...wait, what did she say?' Arthur asked. Merlin shrunk a little into the coat, he didn't mean to, but the anger seemed to unnerve him.

'She said you had recommended me as a tutor to Nimueh.' Arthur swore and put his head in his hands.

'Damn them,' he snarled. Merlin was shocked by Arthur's reaction. 'I promise you Merlin. They will pay for this.' Before Merlin had a chance to say anything Arthur got up to check the bath. He shook his head, he couldn't fathom why Arthur was helping him so much, the same guy who was ashamed for people to know they were friends. Arthur had initially just stood there, then Merlin realised, without his bag. Why would he go to the football field without his bag?

'Arthur, how come you knew to come to the field?'

'Kay came to get me,' he replied from the bathroom.

'Why, no one knew you were tutoring me?'

'They knew,' Arthur said coming back round the door. His red top had the sleeves rolled up to the elbow and the colour complimented his blond hair too well for Merlin's liking.

'But I still don't understand why Kay would get you, I only tutor you. Was it because of your influence?'

'Something like that. Anyway your bath is ready. Do you…do you?' Arthur seemed to struggle to finish his thought.

'I'm fine,' Merlin stated, hoping to rescue them both from further embarrassment. He struggled to his feet, but managed it. Although, and he hated to admit it, the thought of Arthur helping him in the bath was not a very bad one, he couldn't have someone else undress him today. Couldn't bare the shame of one more person laughing at his naked form.

He closed the bathroom door and clicked the lock in place. It was pointless, only Arthur was in the house and he knew Merlin was in the bathroom but he did it anyway. The second he was safe he fell to his knees and sobbed. He pressed his hand as tightly to his mouth as he could to mute the sound. But the tears ran freely. He curled into a ball and rocked himself as he cried into Arthur's cashmere coat.

* * *

Arthur was livid. He wanted to hurt Alvar and gods he wanted his hands around Nimueh's neck, woman or not, she would pay. How could they do that to anyone, let alone Merlin? How could no one have done anything to stop it? How could they just watch? He could hear Merlin sobbing in the bathroom and he felt himself drawn toward him. He wanted to break the door down and do anything to ease his pain, but Merlin needed his privacy more than anything.

He heard the front door open. He ran toward it, he wanted to scream at Morgana for not warning him what Morgause and her friends were up to. But it was his father standing in the doorway taking off his coat, even better.

'Father I need you to expel Morgause, Alvar, Nimueh and Mordred immediately.' His father looked at him with a grave expression on his face.

'Yes, I thought you would say that. Nimueh's mother called me at work. Apparently you saw a prank, a dare, gone out of hand? She assures me her daughter is very sorry and you got the wrong idea.'

'They tied Merlin to the goal posts naked after beating him up,' Arthur snarled.

'He's just another student Arthur. These things happen all the time, it builds strong character,' his father stated walking toward his study.

'He's one of your students how can you let them get away with it?'

'Look, I believe Nimueh's mother, you got the wrong idea. She gives a lot of money to the school and has a great deal of influence over the PTA. She wouldn't lie about these things.'

Arthur could hear his heart pound in his ears. His father was sacrificing Merlin because Nimueh's mother was rich. His father looked at him and put his hand on his shoulder. Arthur fought not to rip it off.

'Look son, it's noble that you want to help your friend. But this is the best way I promise. Please bring me a cup of tea in my study.' For a moment Arthur could only stare. He'd promised Merlin.

He made the tea but only because he thought Merlin needed one. He handed one mug to his dad and went upstairs with the other two. His father ignored the extra mug and perhaps that was for the best. Arthur dumped the mugs on his bedside table before going to the bathroom and knocked on the door.

'Merlin, I have a mug of tea for you when you're done; don't be too long or it'll get cold.' God he sounded like a mother, not that he would know what one sounded like but he was pretty sure he was close. He opened his wardrobe and searched out clothes for Merlin. He pulled out a blue long sleeved t-shirt, because blue suited Merlin well and he pulled out a pair of dark jeans. Arthur was debating whether Merlin would be offended or grossed out by him loaning boxers when the boy nervously stepped round the door. He had a towel wrapped tightly around his waist. Arthur noticed Merlin's cheeks were flushed and his eyes were red and puffy. He looked down at the floor.

'Do you want to lend some boxers? I don't mind.' Arthur added the last bit on in case Merlin thought it was as odd and uncomfortable as he did, then again there was the small thrill about the thought of Merlin in his boxers, but he squashed it instantly. Merlin nodded but his head was hung low. Angry about everything, for the treatment of Merlin and for his father's response something snapped in Arthur.

'For God's sake Merlin, it's me you big idiot,' well Arthur had tried being sensitive.

'I've been through a lot today you know,' Merlin objected finally looking up at Arthur. The frown and actual resemblance to the normal Merlin had Arthur grinning.

'I know, but stop that embarrassed thing around me – it's irritating,' Arthur replied. Merlin opened his mouth to object but then closed it again. Arthur smirked and turned around so Merlin could change. He did so very quickly and Arthur smirked again when he saw the bagginess of the clothes on Merlin.

'Very dashing Merlin,' he commented. He wasn't completely joking either.

'Yes, well, you're all muscle and no brain so no wonder these are big on me. But I guess it's better than seeing me naked, huh?' the sadness from before had covered the statement. He lay on the bed and took a sip of the tea Arthur had brought. Arthur wanted to say something but he had nothing. Sitting down on the bed next to Merlin he waited till he put the tea down and hit him with the pillow. Merlin looked shocked.

'You prat.' Merlin reached behind him and grabbed the pillow and what began was a fight similar to when they first met but with softer ground and softer weapons. This time however it was Merlin who managed to get on top of Arthur, mainly because Arthur wasn't using any force at all, far too aware of Merlin's injuries.

'Honestly Merlin, if you wanted to be on top of me all you had to do was ask,' the words came out before Arthur had a chance to pull them back. They were staring at each other.

'Who-' before Merlin had a chance to ruin the opportunity with idiotic denial Arthur reached up and kissed him. Arthur let go of the kiss and lay back down. Merlin frowned and Arthur suddenly wished he hadn't been so brave. 'What was that?'

'A kiss you fool,' Arthur replied.

'Yes but the last time I tried to _hug_ you, you got all defensive.'

'So?' Merlin was right, but his father had been due home any moment and he couldn't get caught hugging another guy, even in friendship. Arthur really didn't care about his father's opinions anymore.

'Huh?'

'I'm sorry they hurt you,' Arthur said. He was unsure where that had come from but he was glad he had managed to say it at last.

'How can I ever show my face again?' Merlin asked.

'Easily, you'll be by my side with my friends and I will personally punch anyone who dares to mention it. I will make it a decree of the school, with or without my father's support.'

Merlin grinned. Arthur grabbed Merlin, one hand on his shoulder and one on his neck. He pulled him down so Merlin's lips landed on Arthur's, and to his relief Merlin didn't resist. Merlin's lips were soft against his but he didn't go any further, he didn't want to push Merlin too far today. There would be other times to kiss him the way he wanted. Parting their lips he wrapped arms around Merlin and hugged him as tight as he dared. Merlin made a murmur of protest and Arthur gave him enough room to breathe and to stretch his legs out then held on fiercely. He would never let anyone hurt Merlin again.

* * *

**x**


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